Are there any bad things that could happen if I decide to postpone subtalar fusion surgery for post-traumatic arthritis in my foot? It was a badly shattered calcaneus courtesy of an illegal, unlicensed, uninsured driver in an unregistered van smacking into my sedan. After it was almost healed, the ignored open surgical incision erupted with infection, nearly killing me, and requiring several more surgeries.

For the severe pain, I begged and begged and begged the docs for a cortisone shot in the joint. They finally relented and gave only lidocaine, which lasted for 4 weeks, not just 4 hours. It took a month and a half to get scheduled for the surgery because of all the extra stuff they have to do to work around the muscle transplant and so on.

Now, surgery is a week away, and I don't want it. Just another shot to stop the pain, more when I need them, and let me work a new job (really freaking hard to find in this economy), get new health insurance, get an income coming in, and otherwise not end up homeless. Egads this is hard.